


A New Tradition

by One_Small_Writer



Category: Hatchetfield Universe - Team StarKid
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Tree, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:36:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27990870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/One_Small_Writer/pseuds/One_Small_Writer
Summary: The Houston's have a tradition of Tim being lifted to put the star on top of the tree. This year, Tim suggests they make a change to that tradition.
Relationships: Becky Barnes/Tom Houston, Hannah Foster & Tim Houston, Tim Houston & Tom Houston
Kudos: 5





	A New Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> I love these guys and will never stop writing them.  
> A quote from my best friend: "Tom and Tim sound like twins, I'm not gonna lie." (He doesn't now Black Friday).  
> (Day 10 of Xmas fics!)

The first Christmas after becoming a family was an interesting one for everyone in the Houston-Foster-Barnes household. Then again, that was expected.

The holidays brought a sense of sadness and rehashed grief for Tom and Tim. It was two years, wounds were starting to heal some more and it didn’t hurt as much as it had the year prior, but the pain of memories were still there. Though Tim got caught up in the excitement of it all and was much better at distracting himself from the memories of his mother (He was young, and most of the memories he had of the incident had been repressed anyway. He was still sad, but only in small chunks at certain times), Tom had a bit of a harder time. He was sadder for longer periods of time, sometimes whole days, and felt guilty all the time. He made Becky drive everywhere they went together or as a family, he couldn’t bear getting behind the wheel if anyone but him was in the car, he’d look at Tim and well up at what he lost, what they lost.

Although in saying that, he was significantly happier than he had been the Christmas prior. Last Christmas was a nightmare for him, all his wounds fresh and still very much open. Back then he was still shut-in, back then he only thought mostly of himself and didn’t check to see what Tim wanted, what Tim needed from him. Back then he didn’t have daughters or Becky. As much as Tom sometimes felt sad, he felt equally happy as well. He was in such a better place than he was, that even on the days where he was sad, the next day he was happy and smiling.

This Christmas was already significantly better than the year prior for everyone in the household, despite the fact that it had hardly begun. Lex and Hannah had a home, a proper one, with a family who loved them, Tim felt as if his dad was back to normal again and wasn’t as grumpy as he was the year prior, the added addition of new siblings only the icing on the cake, Becky was out of the hellhole that was her old house and partially, mostly, out of the hell hole that was the guilt of everything that happened to her, and wasn’t afraid of celebrating and Tom was over the moon to have a sense of family back again, family and happiness. He was happy to see the arrival of the holidays, thrilled to see the excitement on his kid’s faces. Finally, it felt like a holiday worth celebrating for all.

And the first step to celebrating the holiday? Decorating a Christmas tree.

They’d gotten their tree two days prior and had left it to sit, away from the cats, and finally, they thought the branches looked shaped enough to decorate. The decorations were pulled down from the attic and put on the tree, ornaments created at schools and kindergartens as well as standard store brought ones, one’s Hannah had brought from their old home that she and Lex had stashed away, tinsel and lights and beads and everything in between. The tree was organised chaos. 

The tree was fully decorated, and it was time for the star. For as long as Tim could remember, which was in fact since he was born, Tom had lifted him up to put the star on top of the tree. It was a small thing in the scheme of things, but it meant a lot to both of them. One of the only traditions they had no doubt they’d keep up.

Tom reached into the bottom of one of the plastic tubs that held the Christmas decorations and pulled out the star, gold and covered in sparkling glitter and handed it to Tim. “here you go buddy, are you ready?”

“Wait, dad, we need to change the tradition,” Tim said as Tom went to move to pick him up.

Tom blinked, shocked. “What do you mean?”

“We need Hannah to do it with us too. And Lex too, if she wants, but I don’t think anyone could lift her. She’s too big,” He said with a toothless smile.

Lex grinned behind her hand, and Hannah blushed a little, hiding behind Becky as all eyes turned to her. Tom felt a surge of pride for his son, so welcoming of the girls and opening up his tradition to them. He was so mature, so caring and loving. He was so proud of him.

“Do you wanna put the star on the tree with me Hannah? Becky could lift you up and dad can pick me up,” Tim asked, holding the star out to her. Hannah nodded and stepped out from beside Becky, taking hold of the star with a tiny fist.

Tom watched the interaction with a proud smile, beckoning Becky over to the tree so she could lift Hannah. Lex moved over to the tree also. “I can’t be lifted, but I can stand on the ground and put the star up?” She asked her little siblings.

Tim nodded, and Hannah giggled. “You’re too tall Lexi!” She said, grinning cheekily at her.

Lex just rolled her eyes and grabbed her own corner of the star.

“Alright, now are we ready?” Tom asked with an amused smile.

Everyone nodded and Becky and Tom did a countdown before picking up Hannah and Tim respectively, Lex keeping her hand on the star as they were lifted into the air, and together they placed the star on top of the tree, fighting with it for a few moments to get it straight before they declared it perfect, getting let down to the ground.

Tom smiled. “It’s perfect,” He whispered, more to himself than anyone else, but Becky caught it and smiled over the kid’s heads, all of them too focused on talking about how cool that was. She mouthed a quick ‘I love you’ to him, smiling as he mouthed it back before turning her focus on the kids, joining in their excited conversation.

As Tom watched on, all three of his kids and his love talking so happy about something as simple as a Christmas star, feeling the same excitement they did, it settled in him just how much happier he was. This family they created was the light of his life, and already Christmas was just so much better than it had been the year prior.

And on top of it all, they had a brand new tradition to continue on for many years to come. What a Christmas it was turning out to be.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm watching Rent while uploading (And finishing) this and my emotions are everywhere.


End file.
